Van Gaal: I Can Handle The Pressure

Louis van Gaal is adamant he can handle the pressure engulfing Manchester United with the Reds enduring a disappointing run of eight matches without a win in all competitions.

United welcome Swansea City to Old Trafford on Saturday and van Gaal is determined to secure a positive result in the Barclays Premier League, particularly after the spirited and dominant performance that his players produced during the goalless draw with Chelsea last time out.

During his pre-match press conference at the Aon Training Complex on New Year’s Eve, the manager was calm about his place in the eye of the media storm and praised the club’s fans for the way they have supported his team throughout the disappointment of recent results.

“I’m always doing my work,” he said. “You have to do what you have to do. There are members of my staff who are coming to me and saying ‘boss, how can I help you more or in another way?’ I say ‘you are helping me by doing the things you have to do and as good as possible’. Then I am satisfied.

“I expect that also from my players, to do the same things. This is not my first club. It may be the last club, as I have said, but it is not the first club where I have had a bad period. I had bad periods at all my clubs and I have to say the best fans are here at Manchester United because in such a difficult period they were applauding the performance of the players and that's fantastic."

Van Gaal was also asked if he believes the pressure on United is easing, after he declared in the wake of the Stoke City defeat that his players must "dare to play" in such circumstances. "I don't know because the pressure is also what you experience by yourself and also by the players because they have to perform in a certain time," he said. "They have to give everything and that's the most difficult aspect of players' function.

"In 90 minutes you have to show it and against the resistance of the opponent, under the pressure of the environment but also under the pressure that you put on yourself. You have to cope with that. The way we played under that pressure in the style we want to play, that was fantastic."